“It didn’t seem quite neighborly for me to hog the whole story.”
“Good man, that’s why we get along so well George. Do you guys want to have a question and answer format or do you have a better way to do this?”
“A Q&A is fine. First you address the nation to present the facts, then we’ll ask you detailed questions about impact scenarios and what you suggest an individual citizen can do to survive after Sedna/Kern hits.”
“Good, see you guys around seven for the eight o’clock broadcast,” Alex said shutting the door. He needed to stretch out on the couch and let his mind relax for a while.
The world was under siege. Across all nations on several continents desperate people seeking solace poured into religious venues. In Rome, hundreds of thousands of Catholics began prayer vigils at the Vatican…St.Peter’s square was a sea of humanity. It was so often the scene that played out around the world when man came face to face with his mortality. In Jerusalem, Christianity’s birthplace, the sorrowful wails of a people confronted with the frailties of being human pierced the night. Throughout the Muslim world, the minarets staffed by muezzin invoked the Adhan chant to summon all to prayers. And in America the bastion of Christendom, pastors, ministers and church elders beseeched their God to show mercy and deliver them from the threat hurtling toward Earth and…mankind.
As expected the doomsayers came to life, spreading like spring ground cover throughout every major city, on every corner, parading with their placards warning the end times were around the corner…this time they were right. If that were not cause enough, radical elements of the Muslim world pointed an accusatory finger at the U.S. somehow implying the U.S. had insulted Mohammed and the infidels would be punished. The rhetoric would turn even more sinister in the weeks and months ahead.
Sandi and the entire team huddled around the large screen TV in the communications center to watch Alex’s speech to the UN. Sandi could tell by the expressions on some of the team members faces that this was still too much to fathom. She needed to get everyone focused on the tasks, not their fears, on the importance of their roles to the country…not the terror they must be feeling right at that moment.
“Well, there you have it. We have a lot of work before us, and we don’t have the time or the luxury to feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve shown that as a team working together as one there is nothing we can’t accomplish. We’ll survive this and then we’ll begin the task of rebuilding our nation. Now let’s sit down and brainstorm as to how we’ll help Alex prepare the nation for this tragic event. Alex returns tomorrow and he’ll be mentally exhausted and stressed out. We don’t want him to get the impression that we’re running around in a panic. We have a job to do, let’s stay focused, we’ll get through this,” Sandi counseled.
Around 2 p.m. the physician team arrived from Los Angeles; introductions were made and their suites assigned. Pete Cernak, working with the module manufacturer per Alex’s instructions, had nine more suites along with one hundred fifty individual units all within a six-day period. Coincidently, the mobile hospital unit arrived from Ft. Lewis that afternoon and the physician group’s first task was to assemble the unit in the location Pete had outlined on the floor with red tape.
Liz, Cynthia, Tina, and Elena had ten staff members to assist them in assuming the task of coordinating facility replenishment. Previous vendor lists were pulled, and notified of emergency response timelines. Whenever there were protests, Sandi would quickly step in and read them the riot act, her only question was, “Did they want to be on the wrong side of General Alex Hanken?”… no one cared to venture into that arena.
The women rotated the workloads and the phone calls, all took their turns minding the babies. Curt, Mike, Bill, and Andrade visited the sites to assess the viability for possible long-term isolation… they knew exactly what Alex expected. The additional facilities were well equipped and ready to house the additional troops thanks to excellent work by Pete. The west coast Seal team members arrived that night and were shown to their individual units at the main facility.
“Well, it can’t get much safer with sixty U.S. Navy Seals sleeping across the hall from you,” remarked Dr. Fortune.
“Yeah, and they’re all males. If you ask me that’s even better,” Dr. Chan grinned.
Alex was sitting at the President’s desk in the Oval Office; it was five minutes before he would address the nation. The five network anchors sat just off camera. After Alex finished his speech they’d move their chairs around Alex and begin the question and answer session. The floor manager counted down to one and pointed at Alex.
“Good evening my fellow Americans, no doubt by now most of you have heard my speech to the UN this morning. What we are about to face is the most challenging moment this nation has ever had to confront. The steps we choose to take in the coming months will determine whether this nation survives or not. Over the past year or so you have come to know me as a straight talker. I don’t beat around the bush and I’ll always tell you the truth. I see no reason to abandon that approach at this late hour.
“I’m going to say some things that might upset you, frighten you, and in some cases incur your anger, but they must be said regardless. The comet Sedna/Kern p236 is a very large comet, approximately two miles wide and the core of the comet is about ten miles long. It is comprised mainly of gas, ice, and iron ore formations. During the comet’s descent into our atmosphere most if not all of the gas and ice should disintegrate. The scientists have run exhaustive data inputs, the realities are as follows; the results show a strike in the Atlantic Ocean located somewhere southwest of the British Isles, followed by multiple strikes in the English Channel, France, Germany and Russia…no doubt there will be massive devastation. The eastern coast of the U.S. will essentially be destroyed by a series of enormous tsunamis. We expect the destruction to extend from the tip of Florida to the farthest part of northern Maine about two hundred fifty miles inland.
“Yesterday my chief scientific advisor Professor Kumar, of the Cal Tech Astrophysics Department, informed me there is nearly a one hundred per cent chance the comet will splinter as it enters the Earth’s atmosphere. What does all of this mean to you? It means we don’t know what the extent of the damage will be to other parts of the world, but we do know that millions of people will likely die within days of the strike. Millions more will succumb to injuries, starvation, and disease. If the comet should splinter striking the Middle Eastern and Asian areas of the world, then those fatality numbers could triple in magnitude. At this time the residents of the southwestern and southeastern United States are in the path of the comet and it is expected to pass right through that region of the country. Expect possible air bursts of smaller jettisoned portions of the comet. These airbursts can produce ground temperatures of six hundred to eight hundred degrees; I urge you to take precautionary measures to protect yourselves from the potential effects. In the coming weeks FEMA will be disseminating to all citizens survival pamphlets that will help you prepare in advance of the comet striking the planet and steps to take after the event.
“Now for the hard part. Given the circumstances we are faced with it was suggested that I remain in charge of the country, the Chief Justice along with the U.S. Attorney General met with both the current President and President-elect. Congressional leaders were also consulted; all agreed that the upcoming inauguration and the reconvening of Congress should wait until after the comet strike. We’ll then assess exactly where things stand. Accordingly, I am declaring martial law effective immediately. All military personnel will have shoot to kill authority if anyone is caught breaking the law. Price gouging will not be tolerated and will be met with swift on the spot punishment. The punishment for this offense will be death by firing squad. Unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of this situation for personal gain is completely unacceptable. All municipal workers who manage the water delivery and sewage treatment
